Cord clamp for shoe upper lacing machines



Nov. 10, 1953 R. L. BRADLEY 2,658,214 CORD CLAMP FOR SHOE UPPER moms MACHINES Filed Feb. 13, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor: Robe/"f L, Brad/g By /7/ls uflforngy Nov. 10, 1953 R. L. BRADLEY 2,658,214 CORD CLAMP FOR SHOE UPPER LACING MACHINES Filed Feb. 13, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nventor:

Patented Nov. 10, 1953 CORD CLAMP FOR SHOE UPPER LACING MACHINES Robert L. Bradley, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application February 13, 1952, Serial No. 271,364

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to shoe upper lacing machines and more particularly to improvements in the operating mechanism for the cord clamp and tensioning means of an upper lacing machine similar to that disclosed'in United States Letters Patent No. 2,293,727, granted Auust 25, 1942, upon application of Joseph Fossa, in which a plurality of lacing mechanisms having reciprocating needles or other eyelet engaging devices act simultaneously to form a series of lacings from separate lengths of cord-passing through eyelets and across the edges of a shoe upper.

In the machine of the prior patent above'identified, it is sometimes desirable to change the thickness of the cord employed in lacing a shoe upper. Also in the operation of the machine, the number of needles operating to insert lacings may be varied from time to time so that larger or smaller numbers of lacing cords may be employed. When the number of lacings inserted by the machine is changed, difiiculty may be encountered in adjusting the machine properly to tighten each lacing with the same uniformity as before changing the number of lacings.

The principal objects of the invention are to improve generally the construction and mode of operation for a machine of the type above referred to and particularly to enable a uniform tension to be applied to each individual lacing inserted by the machine regardless of the size of the lacing cord employed or the number of lacings inserted simultaneously for any given operation. To these ends a shoe eyelet lacing machine is provided having lacing mechanisms, cord supplying means and a cord clamp comprising a set of washers between which the lacing cords pass and a slider pressing the washers periodically, in which adjustable means connected to an index member are arranged for actuating the slider to enable the operation of the slider actuating means to be delayed or accelerated in accordancewith the total thickness of the'cords employed, whether cords of different thickness are utilized or the number of cords is changed.

Other features of the invention and the ad? vantages to be obtained thereby as hereinafter described and claimedwill readily beunderstood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of portions of a shoe upper lacing machine, embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged. scale illustrating the operation of themachine aseach 55 2 individual lacing isinserted and while tightening a loop of cord forming the lacing;

Fig. 3 is a view. in right side elevation, partly in section on an enlarged scale of the lower forward part of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the lower front partof the machine illustrating the cord clamp and the mechanism for actuating it taken along the line IV--IV of Fig. 3

Fig. 5-is-a detail view'on a reduced scale of the cord clamp actuating and adjusting mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is afurther sectional detail view in side elevation on an enlarged scale of the clamp actuating connections showing the lost motion gap through which the time of actuation for the cord clamp is compensated in accordance with the thickness of the cords disposed between the elements of the clamp; the section of thisfigure being taken along the=line VIVI of Fig. 4.

The lacing machine illustrated in the drawings is of the same construction and mode of operation, except as hereinafter described, as that disclosed intheFossa patent above referred to. The machineis provided'with six relatively movablelacing mechanisms each having a movable framel, an eyelet engaging spindle or needle 4, a set of loop takers 6, upper and lower clamping: members 8 and I0; cord end grippers i2, cord measuring. fingers l4 (Fig. 2), and other operating devices to assist informing and tightening a series of complete lacings from separate lengths ofIcord passing through each pair of eyelets of a; shoe upper and across theedges thereof whileth'e upperis secured'by the clamping members in the machine. The form of each lacing inserted is that of an interconnected series of loops in the cord; alternate bights of which are passed through a pair of alined eyelets in opposite-sides of the shoe upper, indicated at l6, and other bights of which are passed across the edges of the'upper. The bight of each loop after being passed through an. eyeletor across the upper edges is carried through a previously formed loop and is tightened'simultaneously'by the loop" taker and-a take-up comprising a notched thread engaging plate l,8-, secured to two take-up actuating arms .20, in turnsecured to a horizontal rockshaft 22, 'rotatably mounted in the machine frame.

To resist movement of and to grip and release the lacing cords running from a supply while tightening each bight in alacing, a clamp or tension is provided acting. on the cord between thelacing mechanismsand. the supply.

The cord clamp comprises a set of separable washers 24 (see Fig. 4) mounted slidably toward and from contact with each other upon a supporting rod 26, secured within the frame of the machine. The washers are arranged in pairs and the one at the left end of the rod rests against a collar 28 secured to the rod, all of the washers being pressed to the left to grip the cords which pass between them. The washers are actuated to separate and release the cords as the needles 4 are rising to enter an eyelet or to pass across the edges of the upper.

The means for exerting a clamping pressure on the washers comprises a coil spring 30 surrounding the rod 26 at its right end. The spring 30 is compressed between a flanged slider 32 at one end and an adjusting nut 34 threaded on the rod at the other end. To apply and release the pressure on the cords the slider 32 compresses all of the washers together with an equal force at the time that the cord bights of the lacings are being tightened, and when the spring is rendered inoperative all of the washers are simultaneously permitted to separate regardless of whether the cords which pass between them are of uniform thickness or quality. 7

To render the spring 30 for exerting a pressure on the washers inoperative, the slider 32 has acting on it mechanism including a set of cam actuated connections driven in timed relationship to the operation of the other lacing mechanisms. To insure that the full pressure of the spring will be exerted on the washers regardless of variation in the thickness of the lacing cords, the actuating connections in the operating mechanism are provided with a lost motion gap which affords free movement of the slider throughout any possible range of variation in total thickness of the cords. Variation in total thickness of the cords also occurs when the machine is adjusted to insert less than the total number of lacings which the machine is capable of inserting. For this purpose it is customary to remove one or more of the needles 4 and to disengage the corresponding lacing cord from its cord clamp washers. When disengaged from the cord clamp washers, the total thickness of the cords will be reduced correspondingly.

If the total thickness of the lacing cords is reduced or increased through lack of uniform size in one or more of the cords as it is drawn from a tube 36, comprising the supply, or by reason of removal or addition of lacing cords between the clamp washers 24, the range of movement in the slider along the rod 26 not only is changed but the time of actuation also of the slider 32 is varied. Whenever the total thickness of the lacing cords is reduced, the clamping pressure of the spring 30 will be released sooner in the operating cycle of the machine and in accordance with an increase in the total thickness of the cords the clamping pressure of the spring will be applied later in the cycle. Change in application of cord clamping pressure or release of the pressure may in some instances be detrimental to uniform tightening action in the bights of the lacings inserted.

To compensate for lack of uniformity in timing for application or release of clamping pressure on the washers 24, in the machine of the present invention, the washer compressing means has operatively connected to it an adjustment which is conveniently located and readily manipulated for delaying or accelerating the operation of the clamp actuating connections on the slider 32 in accordance with any change in the total thickness of the lacing cords disposed between the washers 24. In this way the size of the lost motion gap in the connections is maintained the same under all operating conditions and the difliculties above referred to are avoided.

The connections for actuating the slider 32 comprise the forked arm of a right angle lever 38, fulcrumed on a vertical pin 40, the fork of the arm acting on a flange of the slider (see Fig. 4). The lever 38 has disposed adjacent to its rearward arm a second lever 42 having spaced hub portions rotatable on the shaft 22, said second lever 42 being actuated to move towards and from a cam surface 44 on the lever 38, causing lever 38 in turn to rotate about the pin 4|]. The lost motion gap in the connections, as illustrated, appears between the cam surface 44 of the lever 38 and the adjacent arm of the lever 42. The hub portions of the lever 42 straddle the right take-up arm 20.

To provide a conveniently accessible and readily manipulated adjustment for compensating the lost motion gap 4244 to correspond with changes in the total thickness of cords disposed between the washers 24, the slider actuating connections are provided with an index adjusting member or arm 52 and the lever 42 carries a perforated plate 48 secured by means of screws 46 to its right hub portion adjacent to the index member. The index member is rotatably mounted on a shoulder screw 50 threaded into the right hub portion of the lever 42 and is formed with a projecting eccentric hub portion. Surrounding the eccentric hub portion of the index member is an eccentric strap composed of a perforated block 54 into which is threaded a link 56. The link 56 extends rearwardly of the machine and is pivotally connected to a lever 58 (see Fig. 5) fulcrumed on a shaft 60 and provided with a roll 62 engaging a cam 64 secured to a shaft 68 which also actuates the other lacing mechanisms in the machine. To insure disengagement of the lever 42 from the cam surface 44 of the lever 38 during each lacing operation so that the lost motion gap will appear at the proper location, the cam lever 58 has a spring 68 stretched between it and a fixed part of the machine frame. With the arrangement described, rotation of the arm 52 about the screw 50 causes the lever 42 to be shifted with respect to the cam surface 44 on the lever 38 thus increasing or decreasing the lost motion gap 42-44.

In order to calibrate the lost motion gap 42-44 in accordance with the total thickness of the cord disposed between the washers 24, the member 52 serves, in connection with perforations 10 in the plate 48, to index the adjustment of the gap 42-44. To facilitate indexing, the perforations 10 are designated by indicia 12, corresponding with a predetermined total thickness of cords employed. Thus, with four cords of average thickness, two of the lacing mechanisms being rendered inoperative by removal of their needles and cords, the index arm 52 is adjusted to the number "7 perforation. With a greater number of lacing mechanisms in operation a perforation corresponding to a higher number is employed.

To retain the index arm 52 in adjusted position on the plate 48 the outer end of the arm has a slidable spring pressed plunger 14 provided with a convenient handle for retracting it from a perforation 1n and for releasing it into a selected perforation. Thus the index arm 52 is movable across the indicia 12 of the plate 8 in a convenient manner and is retained effectively in the desired adjusted position.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and a particular embodiment having been described, what is claimed is:

l. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers, having a plurality of lacing mechanisms arranged to form and tighten simultaneously a series of lacings from separate lengths of cord passing through the eyelets and across the edges of an upper, including means for supplying cords to the lacing mechanisms and a cord clamp between the lacing mechanisms and the cord supply means, comprising a set of washers between which cords for the lacings pass, a slider arranged to apply pressure to said set of washers, a rod on which the Washers are movable towards and from each other to grip and release the cords passing between them, and means acting on the slider to cause all of the washers to be compressed together as the lacings are being tightened, in combination with an index member operatively connected to the washer compressing means acting on the slider to delay or accelerate the action of said washer compressing means in accordance with the total thickness of cords disposed between the washers.

2. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers, having a plurality of lacing mechanisms arranged to form and tighten simultaneously a series of lacings from separate lengths of cord passing through the eyelets and across the edges of an upper, including means for supplying cords to the lacing mechanisms and a cord clamp between the lacing mechanisms and the cord supply means, comprising a set of washers between which cords for the lacings pass, a slider arranged to apply pressure to said set of washers, a rod on which the washers are movable towards and from each other to grip and release the cords passing between them, a spring for pressing the washers together, and connections for rendering the spring operative and inoperative during each lacing operation to increase and decrease the tension on the lacing cords as the lacings are being formed and tightened, in combination with a device having an index member movable with the connections, and a plate adjacent to the index member having indicia across which the index member passes for delaying or accelerating the operation of the connections on the slider in accordance with any change in the total thickness of the cords disposed between the washers.

3. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers, having a plurality of lacing mechanisms arranged to form and tighten simultaneously a series of lacings from separate lengths of cord passing through the eyelets and across the edges of an upper, including means for supplying cords to the lacing mechanisms and a cord clamp between the lacing mechanisms and the cord supply means, comprising a set of washers between which cords for the lacings pass, a slider arranged to apply pressure to said set of washers, a rod on which the washers are movable towards and from each other to grip and release the cords passing between them, a, spring for pressing the washers together, and connections for rendering the spring operative and inoperative during each lacing operation to increase and decrease the tension on the lacing cords as the lacings are being formed and tightened, in combination with an eccentric pivot in the connections, an index member having a slidable plunger connected to the pivot, and a perforated plate having indicia across which the index member passes to enable adjustment of the eccentric pivot in accordance with any change in total thickness of cords disposed between the washers, said plunger cooperating With perforations in the plate to retain the index member in adjusted position on the plate.

4. A machine for lacing eyeletted shoe uppers, having a, plurality of lacing mechanisms arranged to form and tighten, simultaneously, a series of lacings from separate lengths of cord passing through the eyelets and across the edges of an upper, including means for supplying cords to the lacing mechanisms and a cord clamp between the lacing mechanisms and the cord supplying means comprising a set of washers between which the cords for the lacings pass, a rod on which the washers are movable toward and from each other, a slider mounted on the rod, a spring acting on the slider to cause the slider to press the washers together against the cords disposed between them, and slider actuating connections having a lost motion gap to move the slider along the rod away from the Washers, in combination with an eccentric pivot in the connections, an index arm carrying a slidable plunger connected to the pivot, and a perforated plate having indicia across which the index arm moves for adjusting the eccentric pivot to open or close the lost motion gap in the connections as the total thickness of cords is changed from one lacing operation to another, said plunger cooperating with the perforations in the plate to retain the index arm in adjusted position on the plate.

ROBERT L. BRADLEY.

No references cited. 

